Deborah Grey

[Employment, November 17th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is time to play who wants to be a millionaire, and our contestant today is the human resources development minister who knows how to play.

She used the transitional jobs fund minister's reserve to drop half a million dollars in her own riding. The fund of course is supposed to be used for areas with at least 12% unemployment and hers had only 6.5%.

Here is the question for our contestant: Why did the human resources minister break the rules? She does not need briefing notes for that.

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, here is the picture of leadership by example. What a sight for sore eyes.

The government is entrenching things that have never been entrenched before and knows that it is undemocratic. It could hardly be used as a shining example of democracy and leadership by example. It is ramming this through with no debate in the House. It has organized a series of committee meetings that the B.C. Liberal leader himself called a sham. Then it is to amend the constitution just to call it kosher.

Why is the government so afraid of the words and practice of democracy that it will not put this to a B.C. wide referendum? Why not?

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the minister knows because of the treaty that people cannot own private property. I think that would affect women as well.

The government assures us that it is no problem absolutely that women's rights will not be protected in the treaty. It says we should not worry about the fact that non-Nisga'a people living on this new land will be taxed by a government they cannot even vote for. It says that the fact the constitution will be changed probably should not bother anyone either.

Rubbish. If the government is so comfortable with Nisga'a treaty deal, why will it not give a B.C. wide referendum on this issue?

[Taxation, November 15th, 1999]

The disorder is right across the way. If you turn to your right you would see it.

She asked:

—how can I see the good when burden of taxation is blinding me?

The Prime Minister has told Canadians to move south if they do not like it here. Why is his finance minister also encouraging people like Holly to move south?

[Taxation, November 15th, 1999]

It is great to just laugh and chuckle across the way here, but our Prime Minister told Canadians that they could just head south—

[Taxation, November 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, that is cold comfort. Holly is already a teacher. She wrote:

My only option seems to be to leave this country because I need to support my kids. I love this country because there is so much good in it, but how can I see the good when the burden of taxation is blinding me?

[Taxation, November 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Holly lives in a small town in British Columbia. She is a single mother of five and three of her kids still live at home. She went back to school and after years of hard work managed to graduate from university and become a teacher. She wrote:

—the hard work was worth it because I love what I do—but I can't survive monetarily. Yes I make a good wage, but after deductions I still can't buy my 10 year old son a pair of winter boots.

What does the finance minister have to say to Holly about the pickpocketing of her paystubs?

[Seniors, November 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I believe all of us owe a special tribute in 1999, the International Year of the Older Person, to our seniors who, like my parents, have lived most of this century. They have seen many profound changes take place in our country and in the world. Growing up in the war years, they know what paying the supreme sacrifice meant. From the fifties on, they built the foundations for a very prosperous country that our generation has now inherited.

Today's seniors are still pioneers because they are dealing with many issues that we will yet face: health care, retirement security, affordable housing, remaining connected to family, volunteering in our churches and communities, and time for recreation and travel.

I believe we can learn many of life's most important lessons from our seniors, like putting up with a little less until something better can be afforded, or helping out neighbours and not relying on government or someone else to do it. The timeless principles and actions they have passed on to us are now our responsibility to pass on to our children. That is the best tribute we could give to our seniors. I thank them.

[Agriculture, November 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, funny darn thing. He was a Reformer and he is proud of our policies.

The Prime Minister may think that food happens to grow at the supermarket, but we know that real families are behind all that real food production.

Farm families are in deep trouble and the minister knows it. They need help and what do they get? They get the Prime Minister telling them things really are not as bad as they seem, and the fact that they are losing their farms is just part of a positive trend that is sweeping the prairies and it feels so good.

When will the Prime Minister go out there and tell these people face to face that it is just happy days are here again?

[Agriculture, November 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, how much more than a $95 billion surplus would be good enough for the minister?

The Prime Minister and the minister say that things are really rosy, that the farmers should be celebrating and dancing in the streets. I was just in Saskatchewan and those people are really hurting. It does not take long to figure it out.

I spoke with a family who has been farming on that farm since 1910. The young fellow who is farming it now will not last through this generation. His three boys are probably going to have to move off the farm.

Why will the Prime Minister not go out to Saskatchewan and talk to them on their home turf, face to face and tell them things really are not so bad?